ioiosoiwork Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 Question for the pros out there, I was reading somewhere(I think the on-line DO-IT mold catalog....or a company that sells DO-IT molds) about an idea that one could use lead molds & pour tin in them, the idea being the weight difference, for example a certain jig mold affords a 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 ounce jig using lead, but by pouring tin instead it would give 3 more lighter weights but still keep the sizes.......this sent me out on the internet in search of "what is made out of tin nowadays" (don't let the name fool you) & of course I learned a great deal about the tin mines & how they are running out of ore(?) & even they know what day they actually will be done mining....another search sent me to obscure metal companies that sell it for $20.00/pound & a minimum order of 25#'s !.....so I go to my local scrap yard & I get a look & a statement "we pay 10 cents a pound for tin & I'll sell you ALL you want"...(different tin?) I believe I read where "real" tin has a lower melting point than lead ?........needless to say this junk yard tin ain't melting w/ a torch none the less my Lee production pot, I've been told the only real tin out there anymore is the foil around wine bottle tops ? & "some" decorative "tins" (don't tell the wife but I stole some of hers.....they didn't melt either) & "bar solder" So my questions is 1.) where can one find tin to recycle, & 2.) have any of you tried this ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlaery Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 If you Goggled Tin (SN) you know that there is only 1 - 10 not 110 , not tin foil or tin on your barn. I would find it hard to believe that any junk yard would have scrap tin but if they do, that would be good. Lead free "Bar solder" is Tin (SN) and Tin (SN) melts at close to the temp of lead if you are not using a thermometer. It will melt in your Lee pot fine. Tin (SN) works great in a Lee Pot and pours very good. the spru is harder to break off. The bad thing about Tin (SN) is the price. I use to buy it for $5 a pound and then all of the sudden everything in metals went sky high. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioiosoiwork Posted March 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 Thanks David, is there a particular company you use to buy your tin ?, preferably somebody that will sell me light weight to try this "experiment" ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlaery Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 The cheapest I have found is Rotometals. I have not purchased from this company but it has been referred to a lot here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloomisman Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 The cheapest I have found is Rotometals. I have not purchased from this company but it has been referred to a lot here. I've bought product from them. Very good and fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ogajiga Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 Altho I haven't tried em yet either, I second Rotometals as online reviews are good. http://www.rotometals.com/Tin-Ingot-s/27.htm There actually aren't many biznesses that sell short orders of tin. World market price appears to be increasing this year. Tin is a wonderful lead free alternative casting metal with the lighter weight being advantageous for certain applications. Actionized slow fall jig heads like the Cabela's Wobble Jig particularly benefit from lighter weight. The shiny finish is attractive, great for guys like me with no time to paint. Due to the cooling shrinkage factor small no collar ball heads might be loose on the hook, but collared bass jigs should be fine. Never seen scrap tin, certified content solder or pewter are the only available scrap sources of tin or its lead free alloys. Hardened tin alloys might make for really difficult sprue removals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkvnmtr Posted March 2, 2012 Report Share Posted March 2, 2012 I buy only scrapyard lead. Nearly every time I buy I get a kilo or so of lead free solder mixed in. Quite often babbit. Lead free solder is normally at least 95% tin. Babbit can vary but I usually get about 90% tin. If you run the numbers on the bar through Google you can usually find the make up. One day I found a scrap yard that had about 500 kilos of solder that was 95% tin. For making diamond jigs and spoons that is close enough to tin for me. I am in Mexico but my experience in the states has been the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioiosoiwork Posted March 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2012 THANK YOU !!, you ALL have been very helpful, I knew I came to the right place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
